Afghan Freedom Front Accuses Taliban Governor of Herat of Supporting Extremist Networks
The Afghan Freedom Front has accused the Taliban governor of Herat province of facilitating and supporting extremist networks, in response to an armed attack on Shia civilians in the province. The Front stated that attacks and mass killings of Shias are not possible without the “support, facilitation, and funding” from circles connected to the Taliban governor’s office. These remarks come after armed men attacked a Shia shrine in the village of Damiri in the Injil district yesterday afternoon.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Interior has reported that at least seven people were killed and thirteen others injured in the incident, but local sources have reported higher casualty numbers. Women and children are said to be among the dead and wounded. So far, no individual or group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
In its statement, the Afghan Freedom Front added that the Taliban governor of Herat has a history of authoring a book about the excommunication of Shia Muslims. In recent months, in alignment with extremist networks, he has reportedly arrested, humiliated, and tortured several Shia religious scholars and notables. The Front claims that targeting Shias in Herat has a long history, and under Taliban rule, the residents of this province have continuously lived under physical and psychological fear and insecurity.
The statement further says that Afghanistan under Taliban control has become a safe haven for domestic and regional terrorist groups, and that ethnicities, religious groups, and vulnerable communities lack adequate security. This comes amid repeated targeted attacks against Shias and Hazaras in parts of the country, including Herat, in recent years; some of these attacks have been claimed by ISIS.
